Your nonprofit relies on volunteers to help advance its mission. Not only do these individuals increase your organization’s capacity to take on more projects and initiatives while saving your resources, but they also bring to the table a special enthusiasm and passion for your cause, along with unique skill sets and perspectives that can enrich your organization’s operations. They may even go a step further and give monetary gifts in addition to giving their time. 

There are many ways to find more volunteers for your cause, from relying on community volunteer programs to point people your way to encouraging people who once benefited from your services to pay it forward. 

But did you know that one of the most powerful sources of dedicated volunteers may be hiding under your nose? That’s right—your nonprofit’s board of directors! 

Your board members are already passionate champions of your nonprofit’s work and likely give major gifts to your organization. But if you’re not actively looking for ways to include them in your volunteering opportunities, they may be missing out on important chances to get boots-on-the-ground experience delivering your mission. 

To keep your board involved, let’s walk through four tips for including them in your future volunteering opportunities. 

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1. Set clear expectations with your board. 

Your board members have a lot of responsibilities. Not only do they help govern and provide oversight for your nonprofit, but they also help your organization’s leaders with strategic planning, act as ambassadors for your mission, and assist in fundraising work. 

Volunteering is a natural extension of these regular duties and can have added benefits like: 

• Increased connection to your cause through hands-on experience. For example, if your board member regularly volunteers at your animal shelter, they will become increasingly aware of your facility's needs, strengthening their commitment to your mission. 

• Strengthened relationships with your staff, other volunteers, and your organization’s beneficiaries. Board members don’t need to be enigmatic and mysterious—they’re everyday people, just like your other supporters and your employees, and having the chance to work together will help everyone get to know each other better. 

• More informed advocacy and fundraising. When board members have a hand in your work, they can see the impact your organization is making and share it with others, helping you to recruit more volunteers and givers. 

Build a culture of volunteerism among your board members by making volunteering mandatory. For example, you might require a certain amount of volunteer hours each year, or ask that your board members attend a certain number of volunteer events. Work with a nonprofit consultant to evaluate your board’s current engagement levels and improve board member volunteer participation. 

Your team can also lead by example—for instance, it will be a hard sell to get board members to show up to your beach clean-up if your executive director isn’t there. Making volunteer involvement the norm for everyone will help to build a culture of giving back and helping out.

2. Create volunteer opportunities that interest your board members. 

It will be much easier for board members to commit to volunteering if you offer opportunities that appeal to their interests. 

Of course, your organization’s volunteering needs and your board members’ interests won’t always perfectly align, but there are some things you can do to tailor the experience: 

• Ask them how they’re interested in helping. This is especially important ahead of large campaigns, like a capital campaign or your annual fundraising campaign. In fact, Averill’s guide to fundraising and feasibility studies suggests that one of the questions you ask your stakeholders during your study be “Are you inspired to get involved with this campaign in an official volunteer capacity?” Once you know the answer to this question, you can ask them what volunteer opportunities pique their interest. 

• Encourage them to invite others to join. Volunteering can be even more rewarding when you do it alongside people you care about. Encourage board members to invite their friends, professional colleagues, and family members to join in on your volunteering opportunity. This will give them the chance to spend time with their loved ones and also share what they love about your cause. 

• Offer flexibility and variety. Even if you require board members to participate in volunteering, you should offer plenty of options that provide the same level of flexibility and variety you offer to supporters in your volunteer program. For example, you might offer some remote volunteering opportunities, like online research or virtual tutoring. 

Whether a board member is willing to emcee at your nonprofit events, run the front desk at your museum, spend their Saturday morning walking the dogs at your shelter, or mentor at-risk youth in your community, do your best to match them with opportunities that align with their interests, favorite aspects of your cause, and schedules. When volunteering is both enjoyable and easy, your board members will want to do it more frequently!

3. Provide training and support. 

It can be discouraging to show up for a volunteer opportunity only to mill around and wonder where you can be of use. Set your board members up for volunteering success by providing training before volunteer opportunities and support on the day of. 

Here are some tips for doing so: 

• Make training succinct and actionable. Any volunteer onboarding you offer should be short and to the point, whether you’re hosting an in-person training session or providing training videos on the volunteer page of your website. You can make the process even more efficient by providing digital materials board members can refer to in order to clarify their roles and responsibilities ahead of the opportunity.  

• If your board members will be leading other volunteers, empower them to succeed. Sometimes board members will be responsible for leading teams of volunteers, especially during large-scale campaigns. While many of them will likely have leadership experience, they’ll need guidance on how to translate that experience to the realm of volunteering. Coach them in best practices and decision-making processes to help them be effective leaders that other volunteers can rely on. 

• Ensure there is always someone on-site to field questions. For board members to feel truly supported in their roles as volunteers, they’ll need to have a resource to turn to on the day of the volunteer event or opportunity. Whether that person is your volunteer coordinator or your executive director, it should be clear who they can reach out to for assistance. 

Training and support are key to creating positive volunteering experiences for your board members (and all of your other volunteers!). Plus, with the right know-how and help, they’ll not only feel comfortable in their roles, but they will also be more effective in helping you complete the project at hand!

4. Celebrate your board members’ volunteer contributions. 

Appreciation is key to motivating volunteers to partner with your organization in the future. When your board members feel seen and recognized for the work they do through your volunteer program, they’ll be more likely to say “Yes!” to helping out again. 

Here are a few simple ways to make sure your board members feel your organization’s gratitude: 

• Say thank you. There are dozens of ways to say thank you to your board members for volunteering, from writing a traditional thank-you note to sending a quick eCard or picking up the phone. Use what you know about individual board members to choose the best method for expressing your thanks. 

• Include volunteering information in your nonprofit board reports. According to Kwala, one of the main purposes of a board report is to excite your board members about the work your nonprofit is doing and to make them proud to be a part of it. This is why it’s a great idea to include information about your board members’ volunteer contributions in your board report—they’ll feel like the work they did mattered and will be inclined to volunteer again. 

• Share your board members’ contributions online. Whether through your website or social media, you can write and share volunteer spotlights that include your participating board members. Add pictures and quotes from your board members to make the spotlights extra special. 

Another fun way to thank your board members for volunteering is to gift them a piece of branded merchandise. Even a small gift like a hat that features the name of your nonprofit or a branded volunteer t-shirt can make a big difference in helping them feel like part of your volunteering community. 

Don’t overlook the volunteering potential of your nonprofit’s board members—they can be powerful forces for good as they join in on the hard work of moving your mission forward alongside your other committed supporters! Use these tips to start including them in your efforts today.